Friday, February 14, 2014

Today’s lesson is to try to define truth. The peace-makers
often say “my truth” and “your truth,” but can truth also be objective? Depends
on who you talk to…

I have crossed the Wall.(Kind of like in Stardust, except sans Robert De Niro in a tutu.) As a non-Israeli
citizen, I am allowed to cross into the West Bank at my leisure. (Actually,
anyone can cross in – it’s getting back into Israel that’s the issue.) Four of
us Ultimate Peace coaches gathered for the first formal practice in the West
Bank in about a year. The kids had been practicing on their own for a while, but
UP now has a volunteer, Ben, living just outside of Bethlehem to establish more
consistent programming. (Incidentally, this guy actually played for my club
team’s rival based out of Atlanta. Small world!) On the drive in, my fellow
coach and new friend Johanna and I tried to recap the West Bank’s history – piecing
together which Intifada did what and elected whom and was recognized by which
countries and how all that relates to the current political state of Palestine.
It was a lengthy, convoluted conversation against the backdrop of a simple city
– hotels, restaurants, supply stores, couches and dresses for sale on the
sidewalk, etc. As we waited for our caravan on the side of the road, I felt a small,
cold slap against the back of my head and something drop down between my lower
back and the seat.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

I grew up going to church with my mom and my brother. My dad
knows a few Jewish jokes and the first half of the prayer that you say when you
light the menorah (he trails off in the latter half with odd guttural noises that he tries to pass off as Hebrew.
Very PC, my father.). My folks gave me the option of whether or not to get
baptized when I was ten; and having almost no experience in any Jewish
community or customs, I stuck with what I knew. But the other side of my
heritage has always tugged at me – asking for attention and begging to be
explored. It is a significant reason why I wanted to come to Israel. And being
drawn to the more mystical sects of most religions anyway, I perked up at the
opportunity to go to a class on Hasidic Judaism, taught by one of my
organization’s seminar teachers. This blog post is about my experience and
reflections on that class.

About Me

My name is Rachel Winner. In January 2012, a woman I truly admire looked me in the eye and called me an adventurer. Not wanting to be disrespectful, I didn’t argue or tell her that I am terrified of kayaking , I think camping is stupid (probably because my friends keep inviting me to go in December) and that I’d rather do laundry than cling to the side of a cliff. She explained that last year, I came to her saying “I’m moving to Mexico. I have no idea what I’m doing and if I can do it, but that’s my plan.” And I did. Nearly a year later, we are having the same conversation about my new writing business in North Carolina, WinnersWords. And yet, here I go. I started this blog when I moved to Mexico, and I’m keeping it up with life lessons, musings and observations – all of which make up my grand adventure.